This post courtesy of Anne Taylor-Vaisey:
For those of you interested in reading about the delivery of CE online, here is an excellent review published in the Summer 2004 edition of Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions (JCEHP). Susan Copley Cobb has selected and reviewed 17 studies that met her criteria for inclusion.
I have reproduced below the article's abstract and the lessons for practice, and have provided citations for the seventeen studies, as well as links to their abstracts.
Copley Cobb S. Internet continuing education for health care professionals: an integrative review. J Contin Educ Health Prof 2004; 24(3):171-180.
Introduction: The objective was to review key articles and research studies on practices, preferences, and evaluation of on-line continuing education used by health care professionals.
Methods: Data sources included searches of the MEDLINE, CINAHL, and ERIC databases (January 1990 to June 2004) and manual searches of the Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions and the Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing. Articles included reviews and research studies focusing on the use of Internet CE by health care professionals. The articles were categorized according to inter! vention, subjects, study design, and key findings.
Results: Seventeen articles were eligible and were reviewed. Although in-person CE remains the most frequent and most preferred format, Internet CE is gaining in popularity. Most participants who engage in on-line CE are satisfied with the experience and find it to be an effective learning format. Barriers to on-line CE include technical difficulties and lack of computer knowledge.
Discussion: Although the Internet is an effective and satisfactory educational format, barriers to use of the Internet for CE still exist. Additional studies are needed to measure the impact of Internet CE on practice performance, reduce barriers to on-line CE, and identify appropriate theoretical frameworks for on-line learning.
PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15490549
Lessons for Practice
" In the United States and Canada most physicians and nurses have access to computers either at home, work, or both.
" Use of the Internet by health care professionals, including for CE, is growing.
" Internet CE can be as effective in imparting knowledge as more traditional educational formats.
" Additional studies are needed to compare satisfaction with on-line CE and other CE formats.
" Barriers to use of the Internet for CE continue to exist and may even be increasing
Here are the 17 studies the author reviewed:
Continuing Nursing Education: (5)
Neafsey PJ. Computer-assisted instruction for home study: a new venture for continuing education programs in nursing. J Contin Educ Nurs 1997; 28(4):164-172.
PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=9287585
Neafsey PJ. Immediate and enduring changes in knowledge and self efficacy in APNs following computer-assisted home study of the pharmacology of alcohol. J Contin Educ Nurs 1998; 29(4):173-181.
PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=9814225
Atack L, Rankin J. A descriptive study of registered nurses' experiences with Web-based learning. J Adv Nurs 2002; 40(4):457-465.
PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=12421405
Hegge M, Powers P, Hendrickx L, Vinson J. Competence, continuing education, and computers. J Contin Educ Nurs 2002; 33(1):24-32.
ERIC: http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/Home.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=RecordDetails&_urlType=action&objectId=0900000b8007ad6b
Charles PA, Mamary EM. New choices for continuing education: a statewide survey of the practices and preferences of nurse practitioners. J Contin Educ Nurs 2002; 33(2): 88-91.
PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=11916344
Continuing Medical Education: (5)
Kripalani S, Cooper HP, Weinberg AD, Laufman L. Computer-assisted self-directed learning: the future of continuing medical education. J Contin Educ Health Prof 1997; 17:114-120.
http://web.archive.org/web/19980628144927/www.jcehp.com/v17n2a5.htm
Bennett NL, Casebeer LL, Kristofco RE, Strasser SM. Physicians' Internet information-seeking behaviors. J Contin Educ Health Prof 2004; 24(1):31-38.
PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15069910
Curran VR, Hoekman T, Gulliver W, Landells I, Hatcher L. Web-based continuing medical education (II): evaluation of computer-mediated continuing medical education. J Contin Educ Health Prof 2000; 20(2): 106-119.
PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=11232219
Harris JM, Novalis-Marine C, Harris RB. Women physicians are early adopters of online continuing medical education. J Contin Educ Health Prof 2003; 23(4):221-228.
PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=14730792
Casebeer L, Kristofco R, Strasser S, et al. Standardizing evaluation of on-line continuing medical education: physician knowledge, attitudes, and reflection on practice. J Contin Educ Health Prof 2004; 24(2):68-75.
PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15279131
Continuing Dental Education: (1)
Francis B, Mauriello SM, Phillips C, Englebardt S, Grayden SK. Assessment of online continuing dental education in North Carolina. J Contin Educ Health Prof 2000; 20(2):76-84.
PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=11232223
Interdiscliplinary: (6)
Harrington SS, Walker BL. A comparison of computer-based and instructor-led training for long-term care staff. J Contin Educ Nurs 2002; 33(1):39-45.
ERIC: http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/Home.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=RecordDetails&_urlType=action&objectId=0900000b8007ad6d
Chumley-Jones HS, Dobbie A, Alford CL. Web-based learning: sound educational method or hype? A review of the evaluation literature. Acad Med 2002; 77(10):586-593.
PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=12377715
Wutoh R, Boren SA, Balas EA. eLearning: a review of Internet-based continuing medical education. J Contin Educ Health Prof 2004; 24(1):20-30.
PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15069909
Cobb SC. Comparison of oncology nurse and physician use of the Internet for continuing education. J Contin Educ Nurs 2003; 34(4):184-188.
PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=12887230
Mamary EM, Charles P. On-site to on-line: barriers to the use of computers for continuing education. J Contin Educ Health Prof 2000; 20(3): 171-175.
PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=11232253
Lemaire E, Greene G. A comparison between three electronic media and in-person learning for continuing education in physical rehabilitation. J Telemed Telecare 2003; 9(1):17-22.
PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=12641888
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